NYC Post-Punk Duo Frenchy and the Punk Release Haunting New Track Ahead of 'Midnight Garden' Album Launch

Frenchy and the Punk: A Journey Through “Like In A Dream”

“Explosive, subdued, confrontational, soothing, spikey, and accessible” ~ Big Takeover Magazine

“Steeped in a melancholic grace, Frenchy and the Punk weave light into their darkness, both visually and aurally… a potent goth-alternative concoction, a boozy blend of classic post-punk infused with daring, catchy guitar work that pushes the boundaries of the genre” ~ The Spill Magazine

“Penetrating psych-soaked post-punk… Brimming with their signature cinematic drama and that unforgettable voice” ~ Global Texan Chronicles

“An inspiriting slice of post-punk hued, new wave nurtured rock ‘n’ roll… under the skin and hungrily stirring the imagination in a flash” ~ Ringmaster Review

NYC post-punk duo Frenchy and the Punk presents ‘Like In A Dream,’ a single that pierces the gloom with flickers of light, their sound steeped in melancholic grace. This is the second offering from their ‘Midnight Garden‘ album, forthcoming via NYC indie imprint EA Recordings.

Torchbearers of a new era in post-punk, the duo earlier released the lead track – the dance floor frenzy ‘Hypnotized,’ one year since releasing their critically-acclaimed ‘Zen Ghost’ album.

Formed in 2005, Frenchy and the Punk is vocalist, percussionist, and lyricist Samantha Stephenson and guitarist-composer Scott Helland, co-founder of Deep Wound (with Dinosaur Jr. icons J Mascis and Lou Barlow) and Outpatients. Named one of the Top 25 duos in the US by Yahoo! Music, they profess a vivid blend of post-punk, dark folk, new wave, goth, and punk cabaret. Helland is also known for his exceptional solo music project Guitarmy of One.

“’Like In A Dream’ was one of the songs we came up with in Paris. I often write lyrics in a stream of consciousness way as if the lyrics were attached to the guitar riff that Scott is playing. It can be that old, ‘which comes first?’, question. Do the riffs present themselves because the lyrics exist or are the lyrics born out of the guitar riffs. Or are Scott and my subconsciouses so connected that they both exist and emerge together? This song is about perspective, the cycle of life, and the ever-beautiful embrace of love,” says Samantha Stephenson.

Scott Helland adds, “On ‘Like in a Dream,’ in the majority of the song, I play heavily reverbed single-note guitar lines. It was a real treat to record, in what I like to call “the Gilmour type of feel”. I wanted those notes to ring and just be felt in an emotive way and to keep within that dreamy floaty-ness that Samantha conjures vocally and lyrically. The single-note lines differ from the wall of acoustic and semi-electric tones and chords that usually make up our songs, though that wall of sound does come in as the lead-up to the end of this track.”

On ‘Midnight Garden,’ Stephenson hits her stride – lyrically, vocally, and with the synth sounds peppering the album. Helland shows his knack for infectious, and often euphoric, guitar melodies, propelling these tracks and perfectly complementing Frenchy’s vocals.

This collection bursts with dance grooves, guitar-driven upbeat melodies, and soaring vocals. Written in France and the USA, this post-punk, new wave, and dark alternative-drenched cauldron of songs address themes ranging from the gothic reimagining of the garden of Eden, rising from the ashes and starting over, to socio-political commentary.

“We filmed the majority of the footage for ‘Like In A Dream’ at Art OMI and sculpture park in Ghent, NY, mostly utilizing the piece by LevenBetts called ‘Zoid’. The minimalist nature of the design and how it captures light with its repetitive geometric shapes seemed like a perfect structure to play within,” says Stephenson.

“The stark architecture placed in an expansive landscape mirrors and complements the minimalist and dreamy feel of the song. Another portion of the dance footage was filmed during the recent eclipse in April. It felt like an interesting time to capture movement. In a moment of time when so many came together to witness a beautiful natural phenomenon, it felt like an escape from the mundane which also felt in harmony with the song.”

The duo has forged their own distinct path, touring across the US and Europe with their artful two-person powerhouse of sound. To date, they’ve performed with Dead Can Dance’s Peter Ulrich and Dresden Dolls’ Brian Viglione, Thomas Dolby, Dinosaur Jr., The World Inferno Friendship Society, Rasputina, Cruxshadows, Aurelio Voltaire, and Faun.

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